What year did you participate in the Charity Challenge?
2017.
What was your favourite part about the event when you participated?
So many things…being a part of such a large event (for my first time ever!) and meeting so many other persons with disabilities. Feeling for the first time since 2008 when I became disabled with Guillain Barre Syndrome, that I was abled. Crossing that finishing line with my happy helpers. Man, that was the best! I have a photo of that moment and it hangs in my bedroom and it reminds me everyday that ‘anything is possible’
Why did you decide to sign up and help raise money for SCI BC?
November 21, 2016, on my 55th birthday, I was diagnosed with a very aggressive breast cancer. January 13, 2017 I had a partial mastectomy but there remained too large of a cancer mass, so I had a double mastectomy with lymph nodes removed on May 5, 2017. Taking part in this event was something I could do because so much of my life had been out of my control. I live in Victoria and SCI BC’s Scott Heron works really hard on programming so raising $2000.00 definitely helped our region, and it simply made me feel good.
What have you been up to since you last raced with us?
Over the past 4 and a half years I have had many health challenges including recently, COVID. My focus has continued to be that of a wife and an Accessibility Champion. I’m not only surviving my illnesses but I’m thriving. I remain an Inspirational Speaker, the author of ‘Paralyzed Without Warning’, sit as a Chair memeber of the City of Victoria’s Accessible Advisory Committee, Vice-Chair BC Transit’s Accessible Transportation Advisory Committee and a Rick Hansen Foundation Ambassador.
I feel honoured to have been part of SCI BC’s Charity Challenge team and I would encourage anyone thinking about it to join!
